Special meeting with GRETA Members – Paris, 12 February 2019.

From the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), which monitors the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings in countries that have ratified the Convention.

“A delegation from GRETA travelled to Paris on 11 and 12 February 2019 for high-level meetings with the French authorities. These exchanges are part of the monitoring of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and aim to better understand the progress made following the GRETA report and in response to Recommendation CP (2017) 28 of the Committee of the Parties. In particular, the interviews will be an opportunity to raise some of the concerns that may have been caused by the delays in the development of the new National Action Plan, the concerns that the fight against trafficking in human beings does not appear as having the priority required to ensure its effectiveness, as well as the effects on victims of trafficking of the new asylum and immigration law.

Having taken cognizance of several communiqués and statements of associations in this direction, GRETA wishes to benefit from the perspective of civil society on these various points and invites you to a meeting on February 12 from 15:00 to 17:30 at the offices of the Council of Europe. At 55 Avenue Kléber, 75116 Paris. The meeting is held in French.

The GRETA delegation is composed of:

• Frédéric Kurtz, GRETA’s first interim vice-president;
• Dorothea Winkler, member of GRETA;
• Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
• Evgenia Giakoumopoulou, Administrator at the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.”

With members of the Collective against Trafficking, and Representatives of a Trade Union (CGT), we present to the GRETA Members our action against THB in France, and our fears because it seems that nothing is done in our country against THB… except the work of Associations!

We focused on three main points:

1. The delay to launch the National Plan of Action (last one ended in 2016). Lack of meetings with us (Collective and Unions), lack of statistics. All THB must be mentioned, not only sexual exploitation.
2. Asylum and migration law and its consequences on THB. Complexity is increasing, centers and shelters are too few, and people are highly at risk of THB.
3. Minors: Identify them is a problem, then protection (Art 26 of the Convention of the Council of Europe) and appropriate shelters.

GRETA delegates listened very carefully to what has been said. They ask for examples of some difficulty (with police, justice…) to be sent to them to underpin their report/ Press release.